Monday, November 30, 2015

Victoria's Royal Flush: Lack of Sewage Treatment Still Creating a Cross-Border Stink
After three decades of promises, Victoria, British Columbia, is still pumping raw sewage into shared waters and is nowhere near a treatment solution. In November, heavy rains hit Vancouver Island, and the beaches in and around Victoria, British Columbia, became health hazards. Storm water and sewage overflowed, which happens in Seattle, too. But in Victoria, it’s a more urgent situation because the metropolitan area of 340,000 citizens doesn’t treat its sewage. This is not the vision that people have of Victoria, the elegant and proper capital of British Columbia. “Most people, when they visit Victoria and they are told we don’t have sewage treatment, are shocked,” says Jim McIssac, who heads up the T Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation. Jenny Cunningham reports. (KCTS)

Bill Gates to commit billions for clean energy
Bill Gates will announce the creation of a multibillion-dollar clean-energy fund Monday at the opening of a Paris summit intended to forge a global accord to cut planet-warming emissions, according to people with knowledge of the plans. The fund, which one of the sources described as the largest such effort in history, is meant to pay for research and development of new clean-energy technologies. It will include contributions from other billionaires and philanthropies, and a commitment by the United States to double its budget for clean-energy research and development, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Gov. Inslee takes climate-change campaign to Paris conference Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) And: Olympia mayor headed to Paris for climate summit (Olympian)

Killer whale salmon catches all in the family, B.C. study finds
A single salmon may represent a mere morsel to a killer whale, but it is still worth sharing with the family, according to a federal Fisheries study of B.C.’s northern resident orcas. “We watched these animals take salmon, break them apart and then share them with one another,” said Brianna Wright, a federal fisheries technician with the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. “That increases your overall fitness because your DNA is shared with everyone and is being passed on. You’re helping your relatives to reproduce and survive.” Speaking at a weekend marine mammal symposium at the University of B.C., Wright noted that neither sex of the killer whales leaves the matriarchical line into which they are born. “It’s highly unusual,” she said. “They’re one of the most … stay-with-family groups of animals that exist.” Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Deal cuts BNSF’s potential hazardous spill fines by 90 percent
Burlington Northern Santa Fe would be fined $71,700 for failing to timely report several hazardous materials spills, including two in Everett, under a settlement reached with Utilities and Transportation Commission staff. Under the proposed deal, commissioners would suspend $40,000 of the penalty as long as the company commits no new violations of the statewide accident reporting rules in the next year. A final order accepting the agreement and imposing the penalty could be issued by the commission before the end of the year. The proposed penalty would be a fraction of the $700,000 in potential fines the company originally faced following an investigation of 14 spills which occurred between Nov. 1, 2014 and Feb. 24, 2015. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Malahat First Nation's new leadership mulls LNG plant
It is still unclear what a new Malahat First Nation chief and council will mean for a contentious floating liquefied natural gas plant proposed for its land on Saanich Inlet. A few weeks after electing Caroline Harry as chief, the First Nation isn’t saying much about any new direction or concern it has about the project that was undertaken in partnership with Steelhead LNG by the previous leadership. Malahat chief executive officer Lawrence Lewis said the new chief and council are being briefed. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times Colonist) See also: B.C. LNG sector opposes fast increase in carbon taxGordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Inside a fragile landscape
A network of magnificent canyons of marble and limestone known as karst dot B.C.’s coastline — and advocates worry logging is putting them in danger. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Endangered fisher to be reintroduced into Cascade Mountains
A weasel-like predator that disappeared from Washington state decades ago will soon be reintroduced to the Cascade Mountains. State and federal wildlife officials are preparing to re-establish fishers into Mount Rainier and North Cascades national parks and surrounding areas as part of an effort to restore the state-listed endangered animals to their previous range. The dark brown forest-dwelling mammals historically were found throughout much of the forested areas of the state. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Cantwell measure allows more irrigation in return for fish, land protections
Getting U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s bill through committee was definitely a milestone — but whether it marked progress forward toward a more rational and cooperative future or back toward a discredited past will get you an argument. Either way, S. 1694, the Yakima Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015, sponsored by Cantwell and co-sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, has been passed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, a significant step toward enactment. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Can we be persuaded to pay for online news?
Got any idea of how to make money from news in the online era? Well prepare for the media giants to beat a path to your door, as they struggle with plunging print advertising revenues and an audience that seems to think news should be free. Rory Cellan-Jones reports. (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON NOV 30 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT TODAY SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. TONIGHT SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 14 SECONDS BUILDING TO SW 11 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Eye of the Heron
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "The Great Blue heron relies on stealth and lightning quick reactions to catch its dinner – along with amazing eyesight. Its eyesight is about three times more detailed than ours, and its binocular vision gives it very good depth perception. It also has a built in “zoom lens” – allowing the bird to switch instantaneously between telescopic and macro vision (probably as good or better than our fanciest modern camera lenses)…."

Buy-Low Foods removes all 'red-listed' seafood from shelves
Buy-Low Foods is no longer selling seafood classified as "red-listed" or unsustainable by SeaChoice, a national sustainable seafood program. That means types of farmed salmon, king crab, Atlantic cod, and other popular species are gone from the store. The grocery chain, which operates in B.C. and Alberta, is the first major grocer in North America to take this step, according to SeaChoice. (CBC)

Microsoft buys carbon credits in forest near Rainier to offset pollution
…. Microsoft bought the carbon credits in this forest under California’s rigorously verified cap-and-trade program. Washington has no such program. The purchase was part of the company’s voluntary $20 million-a-year effort offsetting 100 percent of its carbon emissions worldwide across all operations, from employee air travel to energy use. The forest, near Ashford in the Nisqually watershed, will generate 37,000 carbon-offset credits, the equivalent of taking 6,000 cars off the road. And the total will get bigger as the trees do. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Stephen Hume: Clark needs to step up on environment
Wednesday’s agreement between Premier Christy Clark and Alaska Gov. Bill Walker promising protection for shared environments from new mining developments on trans-boundary salmon rivers won’t quell the grassroots opposition swelling in the Northern U.S. state. In fact, it might even make things more difficult for B.C.’s ambitious northwest development plans. Alaskan First Nations, fishing and environmental groups are already signalling a desire to trigger U.S. federal intervention through the International Joint Commission under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty. What happened to the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines — once promoted as a sure thing to carry Alberta’s oilsands crude to tidewater — might serve as a cautionary examples. (Vancouver Sun)

Is there a danger to environmental jargon?
The United Nations is promising a "universal climate change agreement" when leaders from almost 200 countries meet in Paris. But is the jargon used in environmental discussions actually putting people off the subject rather than enthusing them? Justin Parkinson reports. (BBC)

An Anglerfish Discovered, Thanks to an Oil Spill
Let it not be said that nothing good ever came from an oil spill, as this newly described species of anglerfish proves. Three specimens were apprehended at monitoring stations between 800-1300 m (2625 - 4265 feet) deep within a 250 kilometer (155 mi) radius of the Macondo wellhead, the Gulf oil tap that blew up on BP spectacularly in April 2010. You may know it better as "Deepwater Horizon". Jennifer Frazer reports. (Scientific American)

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

National Symbol - Turkey vs. Eagle
When the eagle was considered for national emblem in 1782, wise Benjamin Franklin championed the turkey. He said: "The Bald Eagle is too lazy to fish for himself; when the Osprey has taken a fish ... the eagle pursues him and takes it away from him. ... Besides he is a rank coward ..." frightened by a kingbird. But the Wild Turkey, Franklin wrote, is "a bird of courage [that] would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards, who should presume to invade his farmyard with a red coat on." (BirdNote)

Septic sins catching up with counties
In June, Island County Public Health tacked up a notice at Maple Grove Boat Launch. In careful and official words, it said that wastewater from homes in the area was likely entering the water. Tests showed high levels of fecal coliform. People should stay out of the water. And, while no data showed that shellfish were contaminated, shellfish are filter-feeders, so it was best to play it safe and not eat them…. And while Maple Grove is one example, it’s by no means the only problem. Jeremiah O'Hagan reports. (Stanwood/Camano News)

Orca spotted free of rope tangle near D'Arcy Island
An orca spotted three weeks ago entangled in a rope and float appears to be free, the Pacific Whale Watch Association says. T77A, as the 19-year-old killer whale is known, was photographed off the Thetis Island-Chemainus ferry in Stuart Channel on Nov. 4, prompting a search by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. After a three-week search that the whale watch association was actively involved in, the orca was found Monday afternoon near D’Arcy Island. Michael Reid reports. (Times Colonist)

Large cargo vessel adrift off Haida Gwaii
A large cargo vessel is adrift about 90 kilometres west of Haida Gwaii. The U.S.-flagged M/V North Star – a vehicle carrier, according to ship tracking websites – was en route from Anchorage to Tacoma when it lost propulsion, said Karen Calla, a communications director with the federal department. Canadian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel Gordon Reid was dispatched from Prince Rupert to support the ship if its crew failed to fix the problem. The ship is expected to reach the North Star early morning Wednesday. Matt Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Burnaby’s battle with Kinder Morgan heads to appeal court
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan says the city will appeal Monday’s B.C. Supreme Court ruling involving Kinder Morgan and the National Energy Board, noting the matter may eventually wind up in the Supreme Court of Canada. “We authorized the appeal (Monday) night at our in camera meeting after hearing from our staff,” said Corrigan. “We will be having further conversations with our lawyer as to the right way to proceed.” Brian Morton reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Study: Coal Trains Pollute More Than Diesel Trains Into The Columbia Gorge
A study from the University of Washington shows coal trains are releasing more pollution into the Columbia River Gorge than freight trains. The trains emitted about twice the particulates as diesel freight trains, according to the study. The study also found that coal trains with uncovered cars were major polluters of the Gorge. They polluted at six times the rate of diesel trains. Eric Tegethoff reports. (EarthFix)

KPLU Listeners Express Anger Over Station's Surprise Sale To KUOW
More than 200 people showed up at a meeting of KPLU’s Community Advisory Council on Monday to express frustration over the recently announced sale of the public radio station to the University of Washington, and its licensee KUOW. The meeting gave the public its first chance to offer feedback on a sale negotiated without much attention ahead of its announcement on November 12. And there wasn't a lot of gray area there. People came to talk about why they support the station's mix of jazz and news, and to vent their frustrations over its sudden sale. Zachariah Hughes reports. (KPLU) See also: Public station, private owners: KPLU sold amid university’s financial struggles David Kroman reports. (Crosscut)

Rain delays KPly site cleanup in Port Angeles; work might resume in July
Mud. Awww, crud. Heavy rains have turned earth to muck and interrupted cleanup of the Port of Port Angeles' former KPly mill site barely three weeks before contractors hoped to finish the 19-acre tract at 439 Marine Drive. Chris Hartman, director of engineering, told port commissioners Tuesday the work might resume in July after soaked soils dry out enough for contractors to backfill and compact them. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Lawsuit filed against Thurston County over pocket gopher process
Olympia Master Builders, the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, and Hinkle Homes filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in Lewis County Superior Court over Thurston County’s interim permitting process put in place to protect the Mazama pocket gopher, according to a news release. In April 2014, four subspecies of the pocket gopher — known as the Olympia, Roy Prairie, Tenino and Yelm pocket gophers — were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In June, the county began using a review process for building permit applications that was recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in response to the gopher listing. Lisa Pemberton reports. (Olympian)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Giant octopus washes ashore in Eastsound
The bright red octopus found on Crescent Beach in early October was not the first, or the last. This giant Pacific Octopus lives in the Salish Sea, all around the San Juan Islands and the Puget Sound, and grows up to 150 pounds and 15 feet across. The life of the largest octopus happens to be a short one; they only live three to five years and they mate at the end of their life. The female octopus will care for her eggs that are hanging in her den for five to eight months and then she dies. Kat Barnard reports. (Islands Sounder)

King tides and snow headed to Seattle area
Snow showers are in the forecast as the highest tides of the fall come to Puget Sound. The highest “king tide” coming this year is scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 2:40 p.m. Tuesday. Similarly high water, driven by a seasonal alignment of the sun and moon, is expected at all of the state’s coastal communities. Those high tides come as the Weather Service warns of an oncoming storm that could bring snow to the lowlands. A cold front is expected to arrive Monday night over much of the Western Washington. High winds are forecast for Bellingham and the San Juan Islands. Levi Pulkkinen reports. (SeattlePI.Com) And: Chance of snow for southern B.C. rises as temperature drops (Vancouver Sun) However: Forget the Lowland Snow or Frigid Temperatures West of the Cascade Crest For those of you hoping for some snow near sea level, I am afraid I have some bad news...not this time. I should note that a few media outlets are still hyping snow and cold. Cliff Mass writes. (Weather Blog)

Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline wins court battle against Burnaby
The City of Burnaby's bylaw battle against the Trans Mountain pipeline has been shut down by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who has declared that the National Energy Board rules take precedence over the city's. The Metro Vancouver city has tried to hamper preliminary planning in advance of laying the 1,100-kilometre-long pipeline between Alberta and coastal B.C. through two separate bylaws. (CBC)

Seattle's First EPA Chief Laments The Environment's Partisan Divide
Environmental elder statesman William Ruckelshaus may not have decided where to display the Presidential Medal of Honor he will be receiving at a White House ceremony Tuesday. But he has decided how to have a little fun with it. “Well I’ve threatened my wife to wear it outside my suit coat in the daytime and inside my pajamas at night so it wouldn’t hit her in the face when I turned over,” joked the 83-year-old Ruckelshaus before admitting he really doesn’t know what he’ll do with the medal, one of 17 being awarded. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

State has authority to regulate carbon emissions, judge rules
A King County Superior Court judge has found that the state Department of Ecology has both the authority and “mandatory duty” to move ahead with a proposal to regulate carbon emissions. Judge Hollis Hill’s decision, released Thursday, has been embraced by environmentalists who hope it sets a legal precedent that will help Ecology’s rule-making effort survive likely challenges. In her 10-page ruling, Hill wrote that the state had the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, which include carbon emissions from fossil fuels, both under the state Clean Air Act and the state Constitution. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Washington State To Issue Report On Vancouver Oil Terminal
Washington state is scheduled to release a detailed environmental assessment Tuesday of the proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver. The report by the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council considers the oil-by-rail project’s possible impacts to air, land and water. It will examine possible impacts the project could have, like pollution, noise, earthquake hazards, and risks for fish and wildlife. The public will have until January to comment on the proposal. Conrad Wilson reports. (EarthFix)

A pyrrhic environmental victory in the Arctic
Environmentalist joy at the cessation of Alaskan offshore oil exploration is in fact the result of the overall striking intensification of global oil extraction. Andreas Kuersten opines. (Seattle Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 308 AM PST TUE NOV 24 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT TODAY E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING NE 5 TO 15 KT THIS AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL
10 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. TONIGHT NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Pull, not push, propels jellyfish and lampreys, according to new study
Jellyfish suck, but that’s not what most people believe about their method of locomotion. It seems more likely that jellyfish thrust themselves through the water by pushing the water behind them. But complex experiments in fluid dynamics suggest that jellyfish, as well as eel-like lampreys, actually pull themselves forward by creating a low-pressure region ahead…. The new findings were published this month in Nature Communications. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Saving Our Water Ways)

Humpback comeback: They're ‘popping up everywhere’
The influx of whales in waters near Victoria is being hailed as a “humpback comeback,” as it represents one of the biggest upticks in cetacean activity in recent years. Researchers, marine scientists and whale-watching guides who cover the water between Victoria and Seattle have all reported significant humpback activity as the species begins to repopulate the Salish Sea, which includes the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound. Mike Devlin reports. (Times Colonist)

Oregon and Washington delay crab season because of toxin
Oregon and Washington have joined California in delaying the start of their commercial crab seasons after dangerous toxin levels were found in the crabs. Officials say elevated levels of domoic acid were found in crabs in all three states. The toxin is naturally produced by microscopic algae in the Pacific Ocean, but the massive bloom of algae caused by warming ocean conditions this year has led to more toxins produced and consumed by shellfish. California had already delayed the Nov. 15 start of its season after finding dangerous levels of the toxin. (Associated Press)

Agencies honored for cleanup of Dungeness Bay, upgrading of shellfish beds
Collaboration among many agencies improved shellfish harvesting in Dungeness Bay, said the director of the Puget Sound Partnership at a ceremony honoring those who worked to clean up the bay. Members of the Sequim-Dungeness Clean Water Work Group were recognized Friday afternoon for their work to upgrade 728 acres of harvestable shellfish beds in Dungeness Bay. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

King County judge denies kids’ petition on climate change
A judge has denied an appeal by eight young activists who petitioned Washington state to adopt stricter science-based regulations to protect them against climate change. King County Superior Court Judge Hollis Hill affirmed some of the children’s arguments, saying the state has a duty to protect natural resources for future generations. But she said the Washington Department of Ecology is already working on meeting that obligation by writing new rules for greenhouse-gas emissions ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Coal export terminals: A source of jobs, or coal dust and climate change?
Two proposed coal export terminals in Washington are now undergoing environmental reviews. During an Oct. 19, 2015, visit to the proposed terminal site in Longview, a local resident explains why she opposes the coal terminal being built. Meanwhile, lawmakers from Washington, Wyoming and Montana told reporters at a press conference at the site that they need the jobs and economic boost the coal terminal would bring. Melissa Santos reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Coal not going away anytime soon despite renewables push
Coal: Can’t live with it and can’t live without it, at least not yet. It is the biggest source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that negotiators around the world hope to limit in an agreement soon to be thrashed out in Paris. Demand for coal is leveling off, but it will remain a key energy source for decades, no matter how many billions of dollars of investment go into cleaner energy like wind and solar. Too much of the world depends on it for heating and power generation to suddenly live without it. Louise Watt reports. (Associated Press)

Analysis: Pressure to cut climate gases poses challenges for LNG
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new Liberal government and Christy Clark’s B.C. government get more serious about reducing carbon emissions, the nascent liquefied natural gas sector could face new challenges. Trudeau is meeting with premiers Monday to discuss the country’s strategy at climate talks in Paris next month, where countries will set new emissions targets. He has said his government will put a price on carbon, set emission-reduction targets and adopt tougher environmental reviews for energy projects. Gordon Hoekstra writes. (Vancouver Sun)

ConocoPhillips approves $900 million project in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
ConocoPhillips has approved funding for its Greater Mooses Tooth development on Alaska's North Slope, a $900 million project expected to yield 30,000 barrels of oil daily at its peak. Production is expected to begin in 2018 at the field in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, an Indiana-sized Arctic reserve. Production at the field would be the first time oil has flowed from federal lands on the reserve. Oil also recently began flowing from the oil company's CD5 project within the reserve boundaries, but that was on land owned by Alaska Native corporations. Alex DeMarban reports. (Alaska Dispatch News)

Births Down and Deaths Up in Gulf Dolphins Affected by Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
…. This trend of reproductive failure and death in Gulf dolphins over five years of monitoring after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill is outlined in a November 2015 study led by NOAA and published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. Of the 10 Barataria Bay dolphins confirmed to be pregnant during the 2011 health assessment, only two successfully gave birth to calves that have survived. This unusually low rate of reproductive success—only 20%—stands in contrast to the 83% success rate in the generally healthier dolphins being studied in Florida's Sarasota Bay, an area not affected by Deepwater Horizon oil. (NOAA)

Costco says it won’t sell genetically modified salmon
Costco said Friday it does not intend to sell genetically modified salmon at this time, joining a list of retailers that say they will not sell the fish despite the approval Thursday by the federal Food and Drug Administration of such fish for human consumption. “Although the FDA has approved the sale of GM salmon, Costco has not sold and does not intend to sell GM salmon at this time,” the warehouse store chain said in a statement Friday. (Seattle Times, Associated Press)

Shell fined $77,000 for incident that caused odor
Shell Puget Sound Refinery was fined $77,000 on Nov. 10 for a February incident that brought numerous complaints of an odor. The state Department of Labor & Industries fined the refinery for two violations relating to improper operation of a flare, a gas combustion device that burns off substances that shouldn’t go airborne. The flare also prevents fires or explosions. The more serious violation alleges the refinery skipped decontamination steps when shutting down a flare for maintenance. Skipping those steps exposed workers to toxic substances, according to Labor & Industries. Aaron Weinberg reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Metro composting company seeks permit for higher emissions
Organics composter Harvest Power is seeking an air quality permit to increase its “authorized emissions” after significantly exceeding air and odour emissions for the past two years. The Richmond-based company, which composts most of Metro Vancouver’s food scraps, has asked the regional district to approve a permit based on “characterization studies” over the past two years that show emissions were more significant than expected, in some cases 11 times higher for certain compounds. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Bremerton: Sewer saltwater coming from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
More saltwater is flowing into city sewers from the Navy’s home base, putting the city’s sewers at risk, the Kitsap Sun reported. While saltwater is not unusual in a sewer system surrounded by Puget Sound, the increased amount of saltwater could increase corrosion, rust and increase odors in the city’s system, the paper reported. The saltwater amounts are double their usual levels, Pat Coxon, the city’s wastewater treatment manager told the Sun. City and Navy officials have not been able to solve the problem, the Sun reported. John White reports. (KCPQ)

Anacortes fifth-graders help restore Bowman Bay
Bracing against the wind at Deception Pass State Park’s Bowman Bay, 10-year-old EmmaLee Grove put the force of her entire body into digging a hole on the beach’s newly restored shoreline. When the hole was sufficiently deep, EmmaLee and her best friend Kadence Yonkman placed the roots of a small, leafless tree — which they had named Wilbur — into it, then covered the roots with rich, dark gray mud. Kera Wanielista reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Genetically engineered salmon is fit for dinner, FDA says in first decision of its kind
Perhaps that last breed does not evoke images of ancient and frigid headwaters in Alaska or Arctic Canada, where wild salmon spawn every year, or even the humble hatcheries that produce less expensive species consumed by millions of people. But on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the AquAdvantage salmon — developed using growth hormone from Chinook salmon and a gene from an eel-like ocean fish that makes it reach market size twice as quickly as other salmon — has become the first genetically engineered animal approved for American consumption. AquaBounty Technologies Inc., the Massachusetts company that created the fish, calls it "the world's most sustainable salmon." Opponents call it "Frankenfish." The FDA, which was accused of delaying the decision for years amid public concern, now says you can call it dinner. William Yardley reports. (LA Times)

State considers conservation options for marbled murrelet
The state Department of Natural Resources is reviewing conservation plan options for the marbled murrelet, a seabird that is found along the state’s coast, including several bays on Skagit County’s shoreline. The state agency worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to draft five strategies to conserve the bird’s habitat. The options would protect between 594,000 and 734,000 acres of land managed by Natural Resources. The marbled murrelet is considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act, meaning it is likely to become endangered. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Deadly storm flushes sewage into Seattle's waterways
Heavy rains means heavy runoff making its way into bodies of water around Seattle. But that's not all that's making its way into area lakes and the Puget Sound. The recent storms that moved over Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and knocked out power to thousands, also sent rivers of stormwater into underground pipes. As pipes became overwhelmed, they were flushed into local bodies of water, carrying not only stormwater, but sewage as well. Richard Oxley reports. (MyNorthwest.Com)

Critics warn of another disaster at Mount Polley
Rapidly rising water levels in a vast containment pit at the Mount Polley mine are now a scant six metres below the level where they could seep into groundwater and the Quesnel River system. Bigger worries loom for spring. Winter snow melt could overwhelm storage capacity causing another catastrophic spill like August 2014, when a breach dumped 10 billion litres of water and 4.5 billion litres of slurry into Polley Lake. Stephen Hume reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Ecology working on new rules for movement of oil
he state Department of Ecology is developing new rules for transporting oil by train and pipeline. The changes could require companies moving oil through the state to improve accident response plans and provide advanced notice about the movement of oil. The changes could go into effect as early as 2016. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

No more breaks on positive train control, agency chief tells railroads
The nation’s rail safety chief told a group of railroad officials she expects them to complete a long-delayed collision-avoidance system by the end of 2018 and to not count on Congress to give them an additional reprieve. Recent legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama gives them a three-year extension to complete positive train control, though with some wiggle room to seek an additional two years if necessary. Sarah Feinberg, who heads the Federal Railroad Administration, encouraged attendees of the Rail Trends conference in New York Thursday to make 2018 their goal. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Why My State Won’t Close Its Doors to Syrian Refugees
OVER the last week, a growing number of governors, representatives, senators and presidential candidates have demanded that America slam shut our borders to refugees who are fleeing unspeakable horrors at the hands of the Islamic State. On Thursday the House passed a bill containing impossibly onerous vetting procedures for new refugees from Syria. The American character is being tested. Will we hew to our long tradition of being a beacon of hope for those chased from their homelands? I have always believed that the United States is a place of refuge for those escaping persecution, starvation or other horrors that thankfully most in America will never experience. Governor Jay Inslee writes. (NY Times)

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The Ears of an Owl
Exactly where are an owl's ears? Well, the eyes of this Great Gray Owl are set in a broad, dish-shaped face. Ridges of tiny hair-like feathers rim the owl's face, creating "facial disks." Just below the margins of the facial disks, concealed by feathers, are the openings to the owl's ears. The facial disk acts as a sound collector — like an old-fashioned ear trumpet — and guides sound to asymmetrically placed ears. There's always more to learn about owls' ears! (BirdNote)

Another big global oil company abandons plans for Arctic offshore drilling in Alaska
The government-owned Norwegian firm Statoil said Tuesday it is pulling out of oil leases in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, just two months after Shell Oil abandoned its $7 billion Arctic program after drilling an unsuccessful well…. The company cited “recent exploration results in neighboring leases,” a direct reference to Shell’s failure. Statoil is walking away from 16 leases along with 50 stakes in ConocoPhillips leases. The leases were due to expire in 2020. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

If you dare to watch: The Coming of Climate Change and Mass Inundation of the Puget Sound
The progressive change that sea level rise could have locally is obvious. Entire communities like low-laying Georgetown and South Park could be swept away. Pioneer Square could finally sink back into Elliott Bay. And even Seattle's industrial economic engines south of Downtown — as widespread as the Green River Valley — could be permanently submerged. Only the freeways of I-5 and I-405 that once served them would remain, and that's merely because they're on higher ground. Stephen Fesler reports. (The Urbanist)

The B.C. Scallop Farmer's Acid Test
Rob Saunders points a flashlight into the depths of an immense plastic tank at his hatchery, illuminating millions of scallop larvae as tiny as dust particles. "Think of these as canaries in a coal mine," says the marine biologist turned embattled shellfish farming CEO. It is here at Island Scallops' facility in Qualicum Beach, located just inland from British Columbia’s shellfish farming epicentre of Baynes Sound, that ocean acidification wreaked havoc. Beginning in 2011, the company's scallop brood stock (adult shellfish bred over 25 years to be disease-resistant and exceptionally meaty), began to die. Christopher Pollon reports. (The Tyee)

Washington State Plowing Ahead With Greenhouse Gas Limits
The administration of Washington Governor Jay Inslee is moving ahead with a plan to limit greenhouse gas pollution from the state's largest industrial sources. State regulators fielded dozens of questions Wednesday about the efficacy, design and compliance costs of the proposal to slow climate change…. In late summer, Governor Inslee asked the Ecology Department to develop quickly what he called a "cap and reduce program." The carbon pollution limit ratchets down over time. Tom Banse reports. (KUOW)

Another Mount Constitution? Islanders unite to preserve San Juan ridge for views, trails
Approached on a winding road that leads from Friday Harbor, squat Mount Grant is cloaked under a canopy of old-growth trees, shrouding it from islanders who live on the pastoral lands at its feet. Virtually unbeknown to neighbors, it has long held one of the island’s great secrets: the 740-foot ridge’s spectacular views, taking in postcard vistas of surrounding islands, the Olympic Mountains, Mount Baker, the Twin Sisters — and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier and Glacier Peak…. Mount Grant has the potential to be the Mount Constitution of San Juan Island, said San Juan Preservation Trust executive director Tim Seifert, referring to the famed viewpoint on neighboring Orcas Island. Tan Vinh reports. (Seattle Times)

Victoria won’t make waves on derelict boat problem
Victoria will take a “slow and steady” approach to clearing out derelicts and other boats moored in the Gorge waterway, says Mayor Lisa Helps…. The city has been working for about two years to find a way to deal with the boats, some derelict, anchored just northwest of the Selkirk Trestle off Banfield Park. In the summer of 2014, councillors adopted a bylaw to rezone the waterway for recreational use only. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Future of Fort Nisqually public input wanted
Metro Park Tacoma is looking for public input on the future of Fort Nisqually. The board recently approved the Point Defiance Park Master Plan, so the next phase is public meetings to help refine programs and improvements on several focus areas within in the park…. Stepping into Fort Nisqually is like stepping back in time and seeing what life was like pre-Civil War. Fort Nisqually first opened in 1833, even before Washington was a state. British-based Hudson's Bay Co. established the first non-native settlement in the Puget Sound Region. The living and walking museum runs some amazing programs, camps, and tours. Teresa Yuan reports. (KING)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 316 AM PST THU NOV 19 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON TODAY NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING. TONIGHT NE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Stoney Creek spill leaves endangered fish either homeless or 'buried alive', biologist fears
Washouts along the banks of a fish-bearing creek in Burnaby may have seriously harmed a rare little fish that's so endangered in Canada it's found in only four streams, says biologist Mike Pearson. The fish is the Nooksack dace, and one of those four streams — Stoney Creek on Burnaby Mountain — recently had a bank cave in at a City of Burnaby construction site, sending sand and silt into the water….. You might not be familiar with the Nooksack dace, but streamkeepers and environmentalists have been working since the 1990s to stop the freshwater fish from going extinct, even taking the federal government to court over its failure to protect it. (CBC)

If you like to watch:Photos: Section of Stanley Park Seawall collapses from wind, waves
A large section of the seawall — from Third Beach to the Lions Gate Bridge — will be closed for up to a month while crews repair Monday’s damage. Wind and waves are being blamed for the collapse, with climate change a major contributing factor. Here are pictures from Monday's collapse. (Vancouver Sun)

New stormwater fees set to address flooding, drain problems
A new stormwater fee is set to appear on next year's tax statements for about 4,800 property owners in unincorporated Snohomish County. That and other changes to stormwater fees were approved by the County Council on Monday. The county's Surface Water Management Division is expected to receive an extra $1 million per year as a result. The money will pay for projects to lessen problems with drainage and flooding. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Efforts to stop Kinder Morgan review unlikely to succeed
A lobbying campaign calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to stop the federal review of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expansion is doomed to fail, experts say. There is no clear legislative basis for Ottawa to agree to the suspension requests sent earlier this month from Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan and from a coalition of environmental groups, they say. Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

State of Knowledge: Climate Change in Puget Sound
A 2015 report from the University of Washington provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the expected impacts of climate change on the Puget Sound region. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound)

Climate change stickers mandatory on North Vancouver gas pumps
North Vancouver, B.C. is believed to be the first city in the world to make climate change warning labels mandatory on gas pumps. The city council passed the bylaw unanimously in a vote on Monday night. Rob Shirkey, the founder of the Our Horizons not-for-profit group championing this cause, called the vote a "historic global first." He said other Canadian and American cities have come close by supporting similar initiatives, but the City of North Vancouver is the first to make it mandatory. Tamara Baluja reports. (CBC)

LNG terminal ‘not likely’ to harm Flora Bank
Flora Bank is a resilient area that would emerge unscathed in the event that liquefied natural gas is produced on Lelu Island, a report commissioned by Pacific NorthWest LNG concludes. Visible at low tide, Flora Bank contains eelgrass that nurtures juvenile salmon in the Skeena River estuary near Prince Rupert. Pacific NorthWest LNG, led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas, wants to build an $11.4-billion export terminal on Lelu Island, which is located next to Flora Bank. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Will the "tobacco strategy" work against Big Oil?
According to InsideClimate News, the office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman had been investigating ExxonMobil for a year before it issued a recent subpoena for “documents on what Exxon knew about climate change and what it told shareholders and the public.” The subpoena compelled ExxonMobil to hand over scientific research and communications about climate change dating back to 1977. (Exxon and Mobil merged to become a single corporation in 1999.) The investigation is based on New York State’s consumer-protection and general-business laws and, crucially, the state’s Martin Act, InsideClimate News reported. That statute prohibits fraud or misrepresentation in the sale of securities and commodities, and gives the Attorney General extraordinary power to fight financial fraud. Lincoln Caplan reports. (The New Yorker)

Pacific Ocean temperatures hint at a record El Niño
Temperatures in a key area of the Pacific Ocean west of Peru rose to 5.4 degrees above average for the week of Nov. 11, exceeding the highest comparable reading for the most powerful El Niño on record, in 1997. Rong-Gong Lin II and Rosanna Xia report. (LA Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 250 AM PST WED NOV 18 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON TODAY NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LESS THAN 1 FT. W
SWELL 14 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. TONIGHT LIGHT WIND...BECOMING E TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

If you like to watch:Forage Fish of the Salish Sea
Forage fish are a critical keystone species in the marine food web. This film sponsored by Friends of Skagit Beaches and WA Dept. of Ecology highlights the importance of these small fish to the ecology, economy, and identity of the Pacific Northwest. This is the fourth in a series of student made films featuring the work of promising young filmmakers from Western Washington University and Anacortes High School. The film created by Jesse Nichols (WWU) was premiered as part of the Friends fall film series "Films with Friends" in October 2015.

Senate hearing to explore DNR easement to Navy that blocks pit-to-pier
A state Senate committee has scheduled a hearing this week to determine whether the state Department of Natural Resources acted properly in determining the amount the Navy would pay for a 55-year easement that restricts development on Hood Canal aquatic land. The easement blocks a project known as “pit-to-pier.” The Accountability and Reform Committee is scheduled to address the topic at 8 a.m. Thursday in Senate Hearing Room 2 in the John A. Cherberg Building, 304 15th Ave. S.W., Olympia. The pact between DNR and the Navy, which went into effect in August 2014, is a barrier to a Thorndyke Resources proposal to build a 998-foot pier on state-owned tidelands 5 miles south of the Hood Canal Bridge. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Microbes that are key indicators of Puget Sound’s health in decline
Paleontologists with the University of Washington’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture find that tiny organisms called foraminifera have a big story to tell about the health of Puget Sound. Two recent studies about the health of Bellingham Bay and inlets in the Bremerton area found the diversity and number of foraminifera — single-celled marine organisms that live on the sea floor — deteriorated significantly. The decline of these microscopic organisms is consistent with the deterioration of snails and other larger marine animals, even though analysis showed a reduction of chemical pollutants in Bellingham Bay and Bremerton over the same period of time. Andrea Godinez reports. (UW Today)

B.C. LNG project in Tsawwassen to be voted on by First Nation
The Tsawwassen First Nation will proceed with a vote on plans to build an LNG export facility just north of the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, it announced on Monday. "The preliminary concept looks at a plan somewhere between three million and five million metric tonnes per annum," said Tsawwassen First Nation spokesman Chris Hartman. "In terms of tanker traffic associated with that, probably somewhere in the range of four to five LNG carriers a month, or about one a week." (CBC)

Gates Foundation cuts fossil fuel investments — but why?
Almost every day for the past several months, protesters gathered outside the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Seattle headquarters, exhorting the world’s richest philanthropy to fight climate change by pulling its investments from fossil-fuel companies. As usual when it comes to questions about its portfolio, the foundation responded with silence. But tax documents posted Monday show that the foundation has significantly scaled back its holdings in some of the world’s biggest oil, coal and gas companies. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

UW study: Puget Sound area may face more flooding as climate gets warmer
A University of Washington climate-change study for Puget Sound forecasts a temperature rise of 2.9 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit by midcentury, resulting in wide-ranging shifts as more storms bring rain rather than snow. A warming climate is expected to result in an increase in flood risks even as overall precipitation is predicted to remain roughly the same. That’s because the climate models indicate more rain will fall during the winter when rivers already are at higher levels, and intense storms will become more frequent. Sea-level rise also can contribute to flooding as storm surges become a bigger threat. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

The late Billy Frank Jr. and Ruckelshaus to receive Medal of Honor
Two influential figures from Washington state, each with a long record of environmental leadership, were named Monday as recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Billy Frank Jr., the former chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and a treaty-rights leader, and William D. Ruckelshaus, the first administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are receiving the highest civilian honor in the U.S. The two advocated for and worked on environmental issues for decades. Rachel Lerman reports. (Seattle Times)

If you like to watch:Video: Billy Frank Jr. Street Gets First Sign In Bellingham
Bellingham has renamed Indian Street Billy Frank Jr. Street in honor of the late Native American fishing rights activist. A small group gathered Monday morning, Nov. 16, to watch public works' Tom Oberlander post the first sign at Laurel Street. (Bellingham Herald)

Environmental groups no longer under audit threat
They’re handing out Vancouver Island’s National Philanthropy Day awards at The Empress this afternoon, rewarding those who volunteer for non-profits. Happily, supporters of environmental charities need not wear fake noses and glasses this year. Buried among all the changes announced in Ottawa last week was this: After three years of using tax audits to threaten Canadian green groups, the federal government in changing course. This goes back to 2012, when the Harper government allocated $8 million to audit the political activities of charities — the threat being that those deemed too political could lose their tax status. The Conservatives denied that the audits were politically motivated, but it was hard to ignore that they were introduced at the same time Harperites were muttering about “radical” environmentalists bogging down the Northern Gateway pipeline-approval process. Jack Knox reports. (Times Colonist)

Washington Takes Legal Action Over Volkswagen's Diesel Pollution
Washington is taking legal action against Volkswagen in the wake of a diesel vehicle scandal. Back in September, Volkswagen admitted to installing special software in some of its diesel vehicles, causing them to give false readings during pre-sale air quality tests. Forty-seven states, including Washington and Oregon announced investigations. Now Washington has given the company formal notice that they violated the state’s Clean Air Act. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Groundwater is mostly non-renewable, study finds
The water that supplies aquifers and wells that billions of people rely on around the world is mostly a non-renewable resource that could run out, a new Canadian-led study has found. While many people may think groundwater is replenished by rain and melting snow the way lakes and rivers are, underground water is actually renewed much more slowly. In fact, just six per cent of the groundwater around the world is replenished within a "human lifetime" of 50 years, reports University of Victoria hydrogeologist Tom Gleeson and his collaborators in a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience today. Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 246 AM PST TUE NOV 17 2015 STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON TODAY SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT...RISING TO 40 TO 50 KT. COMBINED SEAS 14 TO 16 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS...BUILDING
TO 19 TO 20 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN. TONIGHT W WIND 35 TO 45 KT...EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 17 TO 20 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF
12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE EVENING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Stone-Faced
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Over time, the sandstone shores of our region have been eroded by the elements, producing all manner of fascinating textures, patterns and visual oddities. I’ve written before about the natural art gallery you can find here and its strange shape-shifting tendency. When the tide is right, you can find some pretty interesting “faces” along many stretches of shoreline in the Gulf Islands. This one, off Portland Island, jumped out at me when I was rowing our dinghy there this summer – though I’m not sure whether its open mouth was welcoming me or warning me off."

100 groups urge Trudeau to end pipeline reviews
Environmental, community and business groups are pushing for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to shut down a pair of pipeline reviews before heading to Paris for climate talks. The City of Burnaby, the Georgia Strait Alliance, Greenpeace Canada and the Sierra Club B.C. are among 100 groups seeking a halt to National Energy Board reviews of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion and TransCanada’s Energy East proposal. In a joint letter sent Thursday to Trudeau, the groups say the reviews should be put on hold until fundamental flaws in the process are fixed…. Trudeau has voiced his support for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but has also said the approval system is broken and designed to support the previous government’s objectives. The Liberals have pledged to overhaul the federal environmental review process so future projects would have the public trust. Matt Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. storm causes sewage overflows in Greater Victoria
The heavy rains that hit B.C. on Thursday have caused the Capital Regional District to advise people to stay away from beaches on southern Vancouver Island, after storm water and sewage combined to create overflows. The waste water is pumped, raw, into the Strait of Juan de Fuca by the CRD municipalities, and now the CRD has advised the public not to wade along the shorelines or allow their pets into the water in the core area of Greater Victoria. (CBC) See also: Sewage flood forces Savary Island Pie Company to lay off 35 staff Matthew Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

For Lummis, fishing is more than a living — it’s a way of life
Members of Lummi Nation say that for them, fishing is different. Tribal and nontribal fishers alike must keep to the seasons and mind their catch quotas. Still, for most Washington residents, fishing is a privilege granted by the state government, said Jay Julius, a Lummi member who has a seat on the tribe’s council. The tribe, on the other hand, has been fishing for 150 generations, Julius said. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Calif. boats sit idle as algae threatens Dungeness crab season
San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf typically bustles this time of year as workers prepare to haul millions of pounds of Dungeness crab that are a tradition at Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. But crab pots are sitting empty on docks, boats are idled and fishermen are anxiously waiting for California authorities to open the lucrative Dungeness crab season. California has delayed the Nov. 15 start of its commercial crab season after finding dangerous levels of a toxin in crabs. Officials in Oregon and Washington are testing crab samples and will decide soon whether to open its coastal season by Dec. 1 as planned. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Manchester stormwater project to help clean up Puget Sound
On a rainy day in Manchester Nov. 6, a cluster of people gathered to celebrate completion of Kitsap County’s stormwater retrofit project. The park has been named qaqad, which translated means “a place to dry clams,” and will serve as a stormwater purification area for runoff from more than 80 acres of surrounding land…. The project took shape in 2009 after the Stormwater Advisory Committee was established at the request of the Manchester community. Sara Miller reports. (Port Orchard Independent)

University of Washington will buy KPLU-FM, pull the plug on its news operation
Pacific Lutheran University announced Thursday that it will sell its broadcasting licenses to the University of Washington, in a plan that will turn the current KPLU at 88.5 FM into an all-music, all-jazz station while KUOW at 94.9 FM becomes the Seattle outlet for National Public Radio and Northwest news…. The sale is expected to close in 2016 when FCC approval is received. The purchase price for KPLU and its assets is $8 million, with $7 million in cash and $1 million of “underwriting announcements” over 10 years. Proceeds from the sale will go to Pacific Lutheran’s endowment, which currently totals $85 million. The sale, and change of formats, will deprive the Puget Sound area of a first-rate news operation. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.com)

Study adds 37 species to Salish Sea’s fish list, bringing total to 253
…. A new analysis published this fall puts the region’s total number of fish species at 253. That includes 37 species never before documented in the Salish Sea — the 6,500-square-mile expanse that includes Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands and the Strait of Georgia. And since the report, “Fishes of the Salish Sea: A Compilation and Distributional Analysis,” was finished, scientists have added another five to the list. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Environment groups' study calls attention to rail bridge safety
Environment groups from throughout the country say government oversight, industry transparency and safety standards fall short when it comes to railroad bridges that in recent years have seen an increase in the number of oil trains that cross them. A study released Tuesday titled “Deadly Crossings: Neglected Bridges and Exploding Oil Trains,” urges government and industry officials to take action to prevent derailments such as the one that killed 47 in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, in July 2013 or the one that spilled burning oil into the James River in Lynchburg, Virginia, earlier this year. The study comes from RE Sources in Bellingham, which collaborated with international environment groups ForestEthics and the Waterkeeper Alliance to develop the report. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tacoma Moves Ahead On Plans For A Liquefied Natural Gas Plant At The Port
Plans for a liquefied natural gas facility at the Port of Tacoma are one step closer to reality, after the Tacoma City Council passed a resolution to move ahead on an agreement with the port about the project. Puget Sound Energy says it needs a place to store natural gas and the way to do that is to chill it to a liquid form. So the company wants to spend $275 million to build the plant which would convert the gas to a liquid and then keep it on port property in a 140-foot-tall storage tank. Ashley Gross reports. (KPLU)

Explosive tanks carried in unmarked cars
Every work day, a small fleet of vehicles travels the roads and highways of Western Washington carrying cargo that, if mishandled or damaged in an accident, can explode. The fleet is not comprised of SUVs or heavy trucks equipped to safely transport cargo that could explode if not handled properly. The cargo is compressed hydrogen gas, and it is transported into neighborhoods and business districts, near schools, playgrounds, coffee shops and senior centers -- in ordinary cars…. The company responsible is Puget Sound Energy, the big utility serving hundreds of thousands of customers. The hydrogen gas, ironically, is used to make sure PSE's network of natural gas pipes running under nearly community are not leaking. Chris Ingalls reports. (KING)

Cadboro Bay threatens to secede over Saanich’s ecological bylaw
The Cadboro Bay Residents Association is threatening to separate its neighbourhood from Saanich if a controversial Environmental Development Permit Area bylaw isn’t changed by next spring. The bylaw, introduced in 2012, affects about 2,000 residents. It kicks in with restrictions and requirements when someone tries to build on land that the bylaw deems to be a rare ecosystem or vital habitat…. In a heated four-hour townhall meeting at the Garth Homer Society on Thursday, the threat was cheered by the more than 300 people who packed the meeting space and spilled into the hallways. The majority of residents were angry and asked councillors to rip up the bylaw or remake it. Cindy Harnett reports. (Times Colonist)

To save the orcas, do we need to demolish dams?
The show is over — at least it’s almost over. SeaWorld has announced that next year, it will phase out its killer whale performances in San Diego. The theme park has been under fire — and, perhaps more importantly, losing visitors — ever since the 2013 movie Blackfish documented its abusive treatment of captive killer whales. But the whales – endangered Puget Sound orcas, if you prefer – need more than just to be freed from captivity. Not surprisingly, they need to eat. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Have a whale of a time at Langley’s new center dedicated to Puget Sound whales
The Langley Whale Center is drawing an increasing number of visitors to its new location in Langley... The move is next door to the previous location but provides far more visibility and double the space for educational displays, information and a gift shop. They also have a lending library for books and DVD’s relating to Puget Sound whales…. The Langley Whale Center is a project of Orca Network, which is based in Freeland, Washington, and is a non-profit started by Howard Garrett and his wife, Susan Berta, in the 1990’s. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness of the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats. Carolyn Tamler On reports. (Whidbey News Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 259 AM PST MON NOV 16 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING TODAY S WIND 15 TO 25 KT...RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS...
SUBSIDING TO 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN. TONIGHT SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS AFTER
MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482